You have to love the run around. Ok guys I’m trying to get a straight answer. I currently hold my MMC w/ DL & LG tank barge PIC endorsement as well as OS of course. Serving as an inland marine tankerman. Also have 500 days on my letter of sea time(all inland). Im moving near New York so I want to branch out and take an AB/sea going barge job. What courses do I need to upgrade to to AB? Maybe suggested route? And or suggested places to apply these days… Any help is greatly appreciated.
You can either test for your ab at any R.E.C. or you can take a coast guard approved course for ab. And try applying at Kirby, Bouchard, reinhaur, Moran, or my favorite company I have worked for vane brothers
Go get the basic week of stcw, im assuming you already have some form of firefighting, having a “tick” ticket. After that, go sit for a week and get your A.B, rfpnw.
Jobs based out of nyc,
Bouchard- top of the line, family run business, really great place to be. -purely sarcasm-
Kirby- nyc what was K-Sea. I hear that, “cough”, “cough”, its getting better.
Vane Brothers- new equipment, seem very decent to work for, would be my pick if i was starting out.
This statement goes against everything I have been told on gcaptain.
Yeah that was my best attempt at sarcasm. I know that…kirby, bouchard, and possibly vane brothers, is looking for tankerman. Applying to reinauer, or moran is just a waste of time and paper on your part, from what im seeing. Select, select few, with alot of time, and 0 fuck ups have a chance. Just my 2 cents.
Ok sweet… So sounds like Vane brothers is a top pick. Now I’ve always heard hornbeck?! Secondly, STCW and AB course are separate? I’m going to hit seaschool in bayou la batre if nothing better pops out at me.
Sweet! Vane brothers seems to be winning the vote. Why have I heard so much about hornbeck?! And seaschool in bayou la batre offers STCW and AB course. I need both?! Not a problem just curious
[QUOTE=Hmmm89;107222]Sweet! Vane brothers seems to be winning the vote. Why have I heard so much about hornbeck?! And seaschool in bayou la batre offers STCW and AB course. I need both?! Not a problem just curious[/QUOTE]
I’m not going to get into Hornbeck vs.Vane.
You’ll need to take a one week AB course and take the exam at the school to get a AB course completion certificate to take to the USCG. Same thing with BST ( STCW Basic Safety Training). That’s another week. Some schools offer a “look out duties only” STCW - RFPNW class. Some schools offer a RFPNW course that includes some assessments signed off in a simulator. Some schools do some underway assessments. There might be a couple of schools that have RFPNW 60 day “programs” that include a coop work experience on a working vessel, and qualifies you for a full RFPNW. I don’t know much about this.
I’m not sure, but depending on where you work, if you have not had STCW approved Advanced Firefighting, you may need that too.
I’ve heard that Sea School in Bayou La Batre is one of the few schools that provides reasonable cost room and board on campus. It sounds like a good value for the dollar, but I really don’t know anything about the school.
If your going to NY, some of theses courses maybe available at reasonable cost to ordinary mariners at the MSC school in New Jersey, even if you are not working for MSC. Also, you might want to check out the courses available at the Seaman’s Institute of Maritime Training on Staten Island (use Google).
Awesome! Thanks guys for the input. I’ve been on the inland waterways for 5 years and everyone out here has a story to tell you know. Just trying to be sure I take all the correct steps
[QUOTE=“Hmmm89;107222”]Sweet! Vane brothers seems to be winning the vote. Why have I heard so much about hornbeck?! And seaschool in bayou la batre offers STCW and AB course. I need both?! Not a problem just curious[/QUOTE]
I know that some schools offer a combined course. So that you wouldn’t have to take the first aid and basic fire fighting again. Although I can’t vouch for anything in the area I believe you’re in.
Vane brothers advertises every month in every trade pub for guys, just saying there has to be a reason they are always looking for people.
Ps…used to work there
Thanks for the input guys. This is going to be a new scene for me and just want to be sure I take the correct route. Looks like after I complete my courses I’m going to apply at hornbeck, Harley marine, Kirby NY division, and maybe chouquest. Honestly I’m very happy where I’m at now (Blessey Marine). I just need to be able to keep up with the cost of living on the east coast!!!
Take this advice, without taking it personal. Alot more will be expected of you, working on 90% of the northern equipment. Ive seen alot of inland tankerman, who cant read a gauge tape, use basic math skills, splice 3-8-12 strand, figure a change in a load on thier own, net/gross, and the list goes on. We had 12 or so guys from blessy 6 years ago come here, we have 1 left i know off. Things are just diff thats all, not hard to pick up, but just a completely diff way of working and environment from what ive seen, having been in the gulf myself the last few years. Im sure the westcoast would be diff for me. If you go to a manned barge, make sure you bring what you will need for a few weeks, rain gear, cold weather gear, things like that. I saw quite a few guys show up, with 2 changes of clothes, no food, and not a nickle in thier pocket, because she needed a warm body. Just a few helpful suggestions.
[QUOTE=BargeMonkey;107391] If you go to a manned barge, make sure you bring what you will need for a few weeks, rain gear, cold weather gear, things like that. I saw quite a few guys show up, with 2 changes of clothes, no food, and not a nickle in thier pocket, because she needed a warm body. Just a few helpful suggestions.[/QUOTE]
Id be like why did I have to bring my own food and I work with a manned barge…
I know right!!! Bless up! Ha
Sounds like reinauer would be worth putting a call into if you’re looking for AB tankerman work if you are squared away and know what you are doing. Just news through the grapevine. No guarantee expressed or implied but it sounded like they have a handful of guys working over.
[QUOTE=kfj;107444]Id be like why did I have to bring my own food and I work with a manned barge…[/QUOTE]
How do you think the food gets aboard? There’s no such thing as a drive through grocery store. You have to show up with enough food for your hitch, and you get (at least the good companies) reimburse you for it. The term ‘Manned barge’ implies that the barge crew functions as their own unit, with no (read minimal) backup from the tug. So you’re on your own for food, and supplies.
[QUOTE=“cappy208;107866”]
How do you think the food gets aboard? There’s no such thing as a drive through grocery store. You have to show up with enough food for your hitch, and you get (at least the good companies) reimburse you for it. The term ‘Manned barge’ implies that the barge crew functions as their own unit, with no (read minimal) backup from the tug. So you’re on your own for food, and supplies.[/QUOTE]
Our manned barge has its own grub account and they go shopping just like us
[QUOTE=kfj;107876]Our manned barge has its own grub account and they go shopping just like us[/QUOTE] Ummm… who’s ‘they’? The grub just magically appears?
Most terminals I go to make a huge deal about going in and out, charge about 450 for some etheopian looking ganga ‘security’ guy to ‘escort’ us out of the terminal, and the companies don’t want to pay for that. The alternative is… bring food. Unless you find work at a company that regularly ties up at an accessible place. It the unit ain’t movin’ it ain’t makin’ money.
Jeez. Sounds rough. Thank God for unmanned barges and solidarity between the crew.